Development of a Typhoon Risk Index (TRI) Based on Records of Typhoon Damage

Abstract

Typhoon cause damage through simultaneous flooding, strong winds, and storms; they have been one of the most damaging disasters of the last decade. In this study, we develop a typhoon risk index (TRI) based on records of typhoon damage that occurred in 229 municipalities across South Korea since 1994. The TRI employs a pressure-state-response (PSR) framework system. For the pressure index (PI), we use ten indicators that represent hydro-meteorological, regional, and socioeconomic characteristics. The state index (SI) includes three indicators related to typhoons and the response index (RI) comprises six indicators including financial status and disaster mitigation-related projects and facilities. The weighting of each indicator for the TRI was calculated using an entropy method. The PIs are higher in the Seoul metropolitan and southern coast areas of the Korean peninsula. The SIs are higher for the southern and eastern coastal areas. It is not easy to determine a regional trend for the RIs. The TRI is higher for the southern and eastern coasts and the Jirisan and Deogyusan areas. These regions are consistent with the areas where typhoons have frequently caused damage. The TRI developed in this research will contribute to decision-making about the priority of disaster prevention projects to mitigate typhoon damage.